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American Dad!
American Dad! is an American adult animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman for the Fox Broadcasting Company. American Dad! is the first television series to have its inception on Animation Domination. The series premiered on February 6, 2005, following Super Bowl XXXIX, three months before the rest of the first seasonaired as part of the Animation Domination block, commencing on May 1, 2005. Creative direction of American Dad! has largely been guided by Barker (prior to his exit from the show in season 10) and Weitzman as opposed to MacFarlane, resulting in a series that is different from its counterparts. Unlike the other shows, Family Guy and The Cleveland Show, American Dad! does not lean as heavily on the use of cutaway gags, and is less concerned with conventional "setup-punchline" jokes, instead deriving its humor mostly from the quirky characters, the relationships between family members, and the relatively relatable plots. The show is not as heavy on pop cultural allusions as MacFarlane's Family Guy, and is more concerned with telling stories while maintaining the integrity and realism of the family members.2 While the core issues and resolutions are relatable in most episodes, the show nonetheless weaves in fantastical elements, pitching the tone of the show somewhere between observational comedy and farce. The plots are often absurd, but they are grounded by family stories and real-world issues. American Dad! has been nominated for numerous awards, most prominently four Primetime Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards. In June 2013, it was awarded as top television series by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Since its debut, American Dad! has broadcast 247 episodes (May 2018). The total number of seasons and organization of episodes within these seasons are in dispute because of a discrepancy in how official sources report this information. One model suggests the first season of American Dad! comprises the first 7 episodes, while another model suggests the first season comprises 23 episodes. Beginning on October 20, 2014, TBS picked up the series for the 12th season following the final 3 episodes airing on Fox as the 11th season. American Dad!'s 15th season (4th on TBS) began with a Christmas special on December 25, 2017, and officially premiered with the 236th episode of the series on February 12, 2018. On January 11, 2018, TBS renewed the series for a 16th and 17th season. Cast and characters Voice cast The voice actors are not assembled as a group when performing the lines of their characters; rather, each of the voice actors perform their lines privately. The voice actors have stated that because of their personalities and tendency to goof off when together as a group, they would never get anything completed if they performed their lines collectively. Main characters American Dad! centers on the absurd circumstances, adventures and domestic life of its title character Stan Smith, his immediate family, and their three housemates. Adding to all the ridiculousness and absurdity are the various personality traits of all the show's eccentric main characters, listed as follows: * Seth MacFarlane voices Stan Smith (father/husband) and Roger (alien) * Wendy Schaal voices Francine Smith (wife/mother) * Scott Grimes voices Steve Smith (Stan and Francine's son) * Rachael MacFarlane voices Hayley Smith (Stan and Francine's daughter) * Dee Bradley Baker voices Klaus Heissler (the Smiths' man-in-a-fish-body pet) * Jeff Fischer voices Jeff Fischer (Hayley's boyfriend then husband) * Patrick Stewart voices Deputy Director Avery Bullock (Stan's Boss) Category:2005 American television series debuts Category:2000s American adult animated television series Category:2010s American adult animated television series Category:2000s American high school television series Category:2010s American high school television series Category:2000s American satirical television series Category:2010s American satirical television series Category:2000s American sitcoms Category:2010s American sitcoms Category:American animated sitcoms Category:American animated television programs featuring anthropomorphic characters Category:American Dad! Category:American television series revived after cancellation Category:Crossover animation Category:English-language television programs Category:Fictional extraterrestrial characters Category:Fictional fish Category:Fox animation Category:Fox network shows Category:Super Bowl lead-out programs Category:TBS (U.S. TV channel) programs Category:Television series about dysfunctional families Category:Television series by 20th Century Fox Television Category:Television series by Fox Television Animation Category:Television series by Fuzzy Door Productions Category:Television series created by Seth MacFarlane Category:Television shows featuring audio description Category:Television series set in fictional populated places Category:Television shows set in Virginia